High Card
by yattsy
Summary: Some people are blessed from the moment they're born. Others aren't so lucky. Life deals Sakura Haruno an unfortunate hand but she doesn't let it deter her. Then life decides to throw her a curveball by introducing her to Sasuke Uchiha. She learns it's not about the hand life deals you, but how you learn to live with it. Now she must learn to live with Sasuke Uchiha.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! It's taken me a while but this story will most likely replace _Out of My League_, which I will be deleting soon. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed creating it. I don't know how much I'll be able to update but I'll try my best to at least update once every two weeks. No promises!

* * *

_Instead of complaining about the hand life dealt you, be grateful it even dealt you a hand_.

Sakura stared out her window at the large, fluffy clouds suspended in air miles below the plane. If she stared straight ahead all she would see was a vast blue sky. And if she looked up she would be staring at the darkness of space encroaching upon the earth. She always marveled at how these massive metal structures could fly through the air like a fish gliding through water. It was amazing how far science had progressed in the last few centuries.

"We will be arriving shortly. Please buckle your seatbelts and prepare for our descent. We hope you have enjoyed your flight and will choose us again to take care of all your air travel needs." The flight attendant's high-pitched voice rang over the plane's intercom.

In just several minutes she would be arriving in her new home. She had decided to leave her old home out of curiosity and wonder. She was adopted. Her uncle and aunt took her in when her parents died. According to them her parents had died in a terrible car crash when she was just a little girl, and she was too young to remember the details. But as she grew older she outgrew her naivety and began to realize that her uncle and aunt were hiding something from her. Whenever she asked them about her parents they would exchange worried glances and clench their jaws, as if they were afraid to say something that might reveal a secret. After receiving the same answer multiple times she gave up and completely forgot about the whole ordeal in high school until her first semester of college.

She had been up late studying for an exam the next day. She didn't normally procrastinate but it had somehow slipped her mind. After nearly two hours of reading, memorizing, and regurgitating information her brain felt thoroughly drained, so she went to go grab a snack. On her way back she noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying next to the trash bin. Obviously whoever wanted to dispose of it tried to shoot it, missed and was too lazy to pick it up and throw it away properly. She rolled her eyes mumbling incoherently and snatched it off the ground.

She was about to throw it away but her curiosity got the better of her, so she opened it. The piece of paper was actually a letter addressed to her uncle and aunt. It contained two short sentences written in messy handwriting, but they were enough to make her completely forget about her snack and studying.

_I know the truth about the girl's parents. If you don't tell her then I will._

Memories of all the times she had asked about her parents came rushing back. The way her uncle and aunt always looked so nervous, or the way their jaws would clench to restrain the words from escaping. One time her uncle had even yelled at her to stop asking, which caused her to erupt into tears and lock herself in her bedroom. Needless to say he slept on the living room sofa that night.

She threw the half eaten banana in the trash bin and ran to her room. She opened a new tab in her browser and searched up her last name hoping that something, anything, would help her discover the truth. She wanted to kick herself for not thinking of it sooner, but nothing relevant popped up on the search results. It was as if all traces of her parents had disappeared from the face of the earth. Her uncle and aunt didn't have any pictures or journals, so all she had was the story that never changed.

She went to bed angry, hurt, and incredibly confused that night. It was frustrating that she couldn't find anything related to her parents. So she vowed to herself that after she graduated from college she'd find a job in her birthplace and finally expel the dark haze that shrouded her biological parents' lives in mystery.

Her flight had been long and draining, so the moment she exited the airport she went straight to the hotel she booked and took a long nap, not caring that she was still dressed in the clothes she traveled in.

The sound of a heavy fist wrapping against hard wood penetrated through the haze of sleep and she woke up feeling groggy and more tired than when she arrived. She blamed it on the jetlag. The knocking on the door persisted and through her sleepy daze she could identify another sound. It was a voice.

"Room service for Ms. Haruno."

Room service? She didn't remember ordering anything before she fell asleep. Frowning she stood up and stretched her tired muscles and joints before opening the door to greet the hotel staff.

"Hi, my name's Hana. I have a filet mignon with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus with hollandaise sauce, along with a bottle of red wine and German chocolate cheesecake." Standing before her was a stout, plump woman wearing a maid's uniform with greying brown hair tied into a neat bun and kind brown eyes. She had a warm smile and spoke tenderly.

"Hi um, I didn't order any room service. Plus, I don't think I can afford to pay for all of this." Just then her stomach grumbled loudly and she instantly felt the back of her neck and her ears heat up.

The woman smiled kindly at her and said, "Don't worry dear, it's already been paid for. You just have to fill that empty stomach of yours."

Her eyebrows rose. "It's already been paid for? By whom?"

"I don't know who exactly but the person also left a message with the meal. Here you are dear, just let me set the meal on the table and I'll be on my way."

She let the maid through and watched silently as she set the small wooden dining table in her room. Once she was gone she sat down and picked up the message. It was a simple white three by five inch card but it had ornate, golden words printed on one side. It read:

_Welcome to the country Ms. Haruno. We hope your flight went well. Please enjoy this complimentary dinner on behalf of our company. We look forward to seeing you bright and early and ready to go Monday morning. Enjoy the rest of your evening._

_Uchiha Co._

She was thoroughly impressed. A couple weeks ago she had been fortunate enough to land an interview for a marketing position at Uchiha Corporation. Because she lived in a different country and they didn't want to inconvenience her by flying halfway across the world they had given her the option of conducting an interview through a video call. A week later they hired her. They gave her two weeks from the day she received the phone call to prepare her belongings and move.

It wasn't too difficult to pack her possessions. She didn't have many things to begin with so the whole packing process took only two hours max. It was the actual leaving her uncle and aunt portion that made moving difficult. They didn't have a child of their own so she became somewhat of a daughter to them. Her aunt cried hysterically and even her uncle shed a few tears when she told them the news. At first they tried to dissuade her by saying she could find a similar job at home, but she reasoned out of it telling them she wanted to explore more of the world when in fact she also wanted to discover the truth about her parents.

After she finished her meal she unpacked a pair of red cotton shorts and a white tank top from her suitcase and set them on top of her bathroom's marble countertop. It had been a while since she had taken a real bath, so she was delighted to find that her hotel room came equipped with a bathtub. It took a couple of minutes for the tub to fill up, so she stripped off her clothes, tied her hair into a messy bun and quickly rinsed herself off in the shower before stepping carefully into the hot water. Instantly her tired muscles began to unwind and a content sigh escaped past her lips. It felt so good to just relax and soak in a tub.

She leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes, allowing the hot water to perform its magic and soothe her tired muscles. She thought about this new chapter in her life and could feel all the excitement bubbling up inside her. Even though her original intention was to seek out the truth, she couldn't deny that she was eager to work for a big company like Uchiha Co. and start a brand new life, meet new people, learn new things, and experience all that this new place, this new _home_, had to offer. It all seemed so surreal.

When she started to doze off she grabbed the sponge and cleaned her skin with the bath soap resting on the edge and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped a soft cotton robe around her body then grabbed a new toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste from her toiletries bag and quickly brushed her teeth before jumping into bed. Sleep evaded her for another ten minutes as thoughts of her parents and her uncle and aunt, her new job and her new home filled her mind. She felt so happy and exuberant about her new situation in life and especially about taking one step closer to finding out the truth.

She didn't know what to expect but she only hoped for the best. And even if she experienced some tough times she would do her absolute best to overcome her hardships. If there was something she admired most about herself it was that she refused to back down from a challenge and give up.

"Please be good to me life," she whispered into the darkness before sleep finally overcame her.

* * *

_7:55 AM_

_Uchiha Co. Main Headquarters_

Dammit! It was her first day of work and she was already running late. Inwardly she cursed her carelessness the previous night. She had boldly decided she didn't need an alarm clock since she went to bed early in the night, but she miscalculated. Her body must've finally compensated for the jet lag and she slept for more than she would have liked and woke up thirty minutes before the start of her shift. She had barely enough time to get ready and completely skipped breakfast. She regretted it now that her stomach was rumbling. She should have at least gotten something from the convenience store at the corner of the block.

Uchiha Co. was nestled within a gigantic city and it was approximately fifteen minutes from her hotel with traffic. Luckily she didn't have much trouble hailing down a taxi, however, she wasted two precious minutes gawking at the towering skyscraper before her. It wasn't tall enough that it pierced the sky and mingled with the clouds but it was definitely one of the taller buildings in the city, and one of the newer ones too. It had a modern look and feel with sleek, tinted windows and metal supports. She had hardly any time to admire the lobby but it was just as grand with its shiny spotless marble floors, large ornate glittering chandeliers, and all new furnishings.

She quickly scanned her surroundings and located the elevators at the other end of the lobby. It looked like someone's elevator just arrived and the doors were slowly opening. She ran.

The person who called the elevator stepped inside and she cursed when the elevator doors started closing. Why the hell did they close so fast?

"Wait, hold those doors!" She yelled. The people around her gave her strange and disapproving looks but she didn't care. It was seven fifty-seven and she'd be damned if she gave up now.

It looked like the person inside the elevator either didn't hear her or he or she didn't care because the elevator's shiny metal doors were halfway closed. She grit her teeth and pumped her legs faster. She made it through the thick metal doors just as they closed shut. Her breath was coming out sharp and fast, and she knew she must look like a complete mess. Placing a hand on her chest she closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing.

_Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale_.

When she was sure her breathing had returned to an even pace she turned around to greet the other person in the elevator and give him or her a piece of her mind. But the moment she laid eyes on _him_ all the words died in her throat.

Standing before her was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. He was wearing a slim-fitting grey suit that showed off his deliciously built body. Underneath he wore a crisp white shirt and a silk grey tie held in place by a silver tie bar. He had long, thick black hair that framed his handsome flawless face, and incredibly long black lashes that grazed the top of his cheekbones whenever he blinked. And his eyes were an inky black so dark it was like she was staring into outer space. He stared at her with one raised perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

His whole demeanor screamed dark, powerful, and dangerous. She gulped.

"Uh, hi, my name is—" She began to say but he interrupted her.

"What floor?" He said. His voice was deep, husky, and smooth. It sent strangely pleasant shivers down her spine.

"Excuse me?" She said.

He looked annoyed then, "What floor are you headed to?"

"Oh, um, the sixty-seventh floor." She said nervously. Dammit, why did she feel so intimidated? She hardly knew the guy. It wasn't his extremely good looks that intimidated her. It was the way he carried himself. He looked confident, arrogant, and composed. It made her feel small and insignificant even though she knew she shouldn't.

She didn't like it.

He hit the number sixty-seven on the number pad rather harshly, which caused her to jump a little. First he didn't hold the elevator doors open, then, he rudely interrupted her while she was in the middle of introducing herself, now he blatantly hit the elevator button with an excessive show of force just so he could what, scare her? She felt her anger rising.

"Okay, I've been in this elevator for less than a minute and it looks like you already don't like me. What's your deal?" The man, whoever he was, raised both his fine eyebrows incredulously then narrowed his eyes at her and clenched his jaw. It looked like she hit a nerve. Good.

"Unless you plan on letting me fuck you right here and now in this elevator then I suggest you stay silent." He said darkly.

She felt her entire body heat up and something tighten in the pit of her stomach. Was she frightened?

"Excuse me?" She spluttered. Was she imagining it or did this man really just admit that he wanted to sex her up in this elevator?

"You heard me." Now she definitely wasn't imagining the desire in his voice.

He took a step toward her and she instinctively responded by taking a step back. The look on his face was dark and predatory and she was his prey. They continued their little game of stalking Sakura until she felt her back resting against the elevator's metal wall. Even then he continued advancing and didn't stop until his body was mere inches from hers. He placed his arms on either side of her head, effectively trapping her and preventing her from moving. With him nearly pressing her against the wall his scent invaded her nostrils. It was a heady mix of body wash and musky cologne.

He lowered his head so that his nose trailed delicately along her jaw and she could feel his breath fanning across her face. His breath smelled of fresh mint and mouthwash. At least he believed in oral hygiene. And all this time she kept her arms frozen to her sides, her hands balled into fists. She grit her teeth. His proximity combined with his intoxicating smell was making it hard for her to control her frantically beating heart.

"I could have you right here and now and I'd make you writhe and whimper and moan, begging for more." He said huskily into her hear. It sent shivers down her spine and she felt the coil in her stomach tighten against her will. Was she actually aroused?

The coil in her stomach tightened some more and she could feel her lower regions moistening. God, she was actually attracted to him. It made her feel disgusted yet oddly pleased at the same time. Just as she was about to retort a ding resound from above their heads, signaling their arrival on the sixty-seventh floor. The man immediately pushed off the wall and stepped away from her, instantly creating at least three feet of space. But his effect on her lingered and for a moment she felt dazed.

She regained her composure in time as the metal doors began to slide open. She glanced at the man and found him staring off to the side, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants and his jaw clenched.

She hurriedly walked out of the elevator and into a long narrow vestibule. She turned around in time just as the doors slid closed again and the look he was giving her made her shiver in both delight and fear. She wondered if he had gotten his way what would have happened. The back of her neck warmed as her mind envisioned the two of them in the elevator hot and panting as they went at it like animals. She shook her head to hopefully clear it of the dirty direction her thoughts were taking but to no avail.

She followed the hallway down until she entered a large spacious lobby with a circular reception desk in the center. A pretty brunette sat behind the counter speaking into her headset and typing furiously away on the keyboard in front of her.

"Excuse me," she said trying to catch her attention. God she hoped her face wasn't red.

The receptionist pressed something on the side of her headset and faced her.

"Welcome to the marketing department. How may I assist you today?" She said in a practiced, cheery voice.

"My name's Sakura Haruno. I'm the new employee."

"Ah, Ms. Haruno we've been expecting you. Right this way." The receptionist stood from her chair and headed down another hallway into a larger space.

In the center of the space was a set of black square sofas and lounge chairs placed on top of a white rug. Surrounding the seating area were small office spaces with transparent walls. Inside she could see workers typing away on computers or standing over plans laid out on long wooden tables.

"Does every worker get their own office space?" She asked the receptionist amazed at how accommodating Uchiha Co. was of its employees.

"Yes, now if you could please sit here and wait for our senior executive. He'll be here shortly." She said and walked away.

She didn't wait long before a tall man with unruly black hair wearing a two-piece navy blue suit approached her. She stood up from her seat and shook his hand when he offered it.

"Hi, I'm Obito Uchiha. Senior Marketing Executive here at Uchiha Co. Pleasure to finally meet you."

"Sakura Haruno and thank you for hiring me."

* * *

"Her name is Sakura Haruno sir." His secretary said, a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"Thank you." He said before heading straight for his office, a large open space with frosted sliding doors and multiple flat screen televisions mounted on one wall. Each television played different news from different parts of the world.

In the center of his office were two black loveseats that faced each other with a mahogany table dividing them. Opposite the sliding doors was his desk and behind that was a sweeping view of the city, the park, and the ocean in the distance. He appreciated the view because it helped him to organize his thoughts and focus. And right now he definitely needed to organize his thoughts after a certain woman with pink hair and sparkling emerald eyes thoroughly jumbled them.

The moment he laid eyes on her he knew he wanted her naked underneath him in his bed, writhing and moaning his name. Initially, he thought she was crazy for running into his private elevator. There's a reason why he didn't hold the doors for her. The elevator was for his personal use and his only. But when she had run in gasping for breath and clutching her chest as if her lungs couldn't inhale enough oxygen, he couldn't help but notice the way her long thick hair shined beneath the elevator's dim lighting, or the way her plump lips glistened beckoning for him to capture them with his own. But the feature that drew him in the most was her eyes. They sparkled like emeralds glinting in the light, so bright, expressive and innocent. Revealing everything she felt. She captivated him and he couldn't deny that she was indeed beautiful.

But it wasn't just her beauty that intrigued him. It was the way she cowered like a cornered animal one moment then turned fiery and angry the next. She was unpredictable and obviously brave if she had the audacity to use _his_ elevator uninvited. It was the way she smelled, something floral and sweet that intoxicated him. But most of all it was the way she looked at him with unconscious and restrained longing. Her body obviously wanted him but her mind and spirit rejected him. An interesting paradox.

One that he wanted to explore because she had presented herself as a challenge, and he never backed down from a challenge especially when the prize was one as great as she.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

* * *

For the rest of the morning Obito helped her acclimate to her new environment. As the newest marketing associate she was expected to shadow Obito for the next several weeks as he taught her the ways of marketing. In this setting she actually had the opportunity to apply her knowledge gained from college. It energized her and fueled her desire to succeed.

"Alright, that's all I'm going to teach you for today. Have any questions Sakura?" Obito asked her as he organized some papers on his desk.

His office was just down the hall from hers. Earlier in the day he had directed her to an empty square space, barren except for a desk with a desktop, an office chair, a potted plant in the corner, and a wall made entirely of floor-to-ceiling windows that revealed a spectacular view of the city below and the ocean. She had gasped in awe of the view to which Obito chuckled and waved her in so she could set down her bag and take a look around.

"No, I think I have everything down." She said. While she followed Obito she took notes in a small notebook, careful to jot down any important details she'd need for her new job.

"Awesome. So tomorrow I actually have a new client coming in for a proposal, and you're going to help me. If you have nothing else then you're free to do as you please for the remainder of your shift." He said and sat down behind his desk. He smiled at her before powering on his computer and getting to work on something he probably delayed while he gave her a tour of the department.

She spent the last few hours of her shift walking around the department, committing its architecture and contents to memory. Then she returned to her office space and began organizing her belongings into their proper places, but it turned out her desk was fully stocked with everything she'd need, so she settled for randomly browsing the Web.

It was times like these that she wished she had a best friend she could talk to about everything happening in her life. From a new home, to a new job, and to the dark and dangerous gorgeous man she had met in the elevator, it was almost torture having to keep all the information to herself. She sighed for the umpteenth time since her shift ended as she walked across the building's main lobby.

"Hard first day?" A smooth deep voice said behind her, too close for comfort.

She jumped, nearly dropping her drink that she had purchased from a coffee cart in the cafeteria, which happened to be just as elegant as the rest of the building. She turned around and this time she nearly spit out the warm bittersweet liquid in her mouth.

"It's you." She said the first thing that came to mind and instantly felt the back of her neck heat up.

The gorgeous man raised a single brow and smirked. The action was so sexy it made her heart beat faster and her knees feel weak.

"Yes it's me. My name's Sasuke Uchiha. And you're Sakura Haruno." He said matter-of-factly, holding out a hand. Earlier today Obito explained that Uchiha Co. was privately owned by the Uchiha family, one of the oldest and wealthiest families in the nation, hence the reason why so many of its workers bore the name Uchiha.

"Hi, um, yes my name's Sakura Haruno. How do you know who I am?" She took his hand and felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her arm the moment their skin made contact. She nearly withdrew her hand in response but his grip on hers was strong and steady, and his calloused hand was so big and warm.

"I have my ways." He said simply without letting go.

After five more seconds of silence and he still wasn't letting go she began to feel her face heat up so she retracted her hand, albeit grudgingly. She loved the way his hand felt wrapped around hers. It made her feel safe for some reason.

"I have to get going," she said hastily. She needed to scout the city in order to find a place to live. Staying at the hotel wouldn't be practical after a week. And to be honest she didn't know what would happen if she stayed in this man's presence any longer. It made her feel both apprehensive and excited.

A small part of her wanted to turn around and delay her apartment hunting just so she could talk to Sasuke, but her sense of duty and responsibility far outweighed her desires. She started to walk away but a strong hand gripped her elbow, preventing her from taking additional steps. She felt him move to stand directly behind her and instantly the same dark powerful aura from when they met in the elevator enveloped her along with the delicious scent that was uniquely him. She shivered involuntarily and sucked in a breath when he dipped his head so his lips were right next to her ear.

"The next time you want to use my personal elevator with me, you better be ready to pay the price." He whispered huskily into the shell of her ear.

She felt his lips brush her earlobe as he withdrew completely and it sent another shiver coursing through her body. It frustrated her that a total stranger could have such a powerful effect on her. He released her elbow but she stayed frozen in her spot, watching as he walked away unfazed and in complete control. His gait was graceful and confident and the slim fit of his suit perfectly outlined the strength of his broad shoulders. Just who was this man that caused a tight ball to form in her stomach and who made her insides feel like jelly at the sound of his voice, and who waltzed around as if he owned the place?

Then it hit her. He had said that the elevator they met in this morning was his personal elevator. Could it be? Could he be _the_ famous Sasuke Uchiha? Suddenly a memory from when she was first researching the company resurfaced and she recalled the article she had read online. It spoke of Uchiha Co.'s new young and brilliant CEO who had managed to secure the company's position as the most powerful and influential business in the country in only four years since replacing his father as CEO. She remembered the name written in bold capital letters beneath the picture taken of his profile as he walked down the main headquarters building's steps, talking on his cell phone with the cockiest smirk she had ever seen.

**SASUKE UCHIHA**

Her face paled when she realized that she had unknowingly and audaciously used his private elevator without his permission, and she had even glowered at the man for his earlier inappropriate remarks regardless of how her body reacted in pleasure. She felt mortified to say the least.

Yes, it was times like these that she longed for a best friend she could talk to.

* * *

He was drawn to her like moth to a flame. The instant he saw her in the lobby, bag and drink in hand ready to leave for the day, he couldn't help but approach her and hear her voice. She simply compelled him and it irked him that she did it so effortlessly when countless numbers of women had tried so hard to get his attention and all they'd gotten was a simple fuck just so they'd finally leave him alone. Or if they interested him enough he'd date them until they bored him. But she caught his complete, undivided attention simply by being in the same space as him. It was perplexing.

She was walking briskly to the exit, her brows furrowed and her lower lip caught between her teeth. It seemed like she was deep in thought too distracted by whatever was occupying her mind and didn't notice him as he approached her. He frowned. He didn't like that she wasn't aware of her surroundings. What if some lunatic or rapist on the street tried to snatch her?

He caught up to her in a few long strides and decided he'd catch her off guard. The entire exchange turned out to be entertaining as he watched various emotions dance across her face. He liked that she was an open book and she wore her heart on her sleeve. He could easily discern her thoughts and feelings. Surprise. Intimidation. Irritation. But the one that made his pants begin to feel a little too tight for comfort was desire. He could see it in the way her body slightly trembled with pent up longing and the way her eyes darkened and her cheeks took on a rosy blush. She wanted him and she didn't even realize it and hell, he knew exactly what he wanted and she wasn't complying. It annoyed him.

So when she had tried to excuse herself he grabbed her elbow refusing to let her go so easily without making her feel the same way she was unconsciously making him feel. Her sweet scent invaded his nostrils and clouded his thinking as lustful thoughts filled his mind. He was aware that by now he was probably sporting a raging hard-on and he grit his teeth in annoyance knowing that she was the cause of it and she didn't even know. He dipped his head low so he could whisper into her ear. He smirked when he achieved his desired result and felt her whole body shiver and stiffen.

She stood there silently like a statue as he walked away and it fed his ego knowing he had such a powerful effect on her. He liked to think that only he could achieve this effect.

It didn't take him long to reach his car parked inside the underground parking structure. He still had a hard-on but he mustered up all his strength to not unzip his pants and free himself so he could relieve the tension building up in his groin. And right now he didn't want another woman satisfying his current need. The only solution to his predicament was Sakura.

As he pulled out of the structure and onto the city's busy streets he caught a glimpse of pink hair to his left. It was Sakura and she had her bottom lip caught between her teeth again. She looked deep in thought and he wondered what she was thinking about. He secretly hoped she was thinking about him.

When she started walking absentmindedly down the street, he felt some kind of force propelling him, taking control of the wheel and steering the car in the same direction she was headed. He couldn't explain the feeling but he just felt the need to follow her and watch over her in the event some asshole tried to take advantage of her obliviousness. He'd be there to pummel them into the ground.

He admired the way her hips sashayed so naturally from side to side as she walked and the way her pencil skirt seemed to hug the curves of her ass, emphasizing its firm roundness. His eyes trailed lower hungrily taking in the definition and strength in her calves. She must run a lot. He imagined himself driving into her, his hands kneading the flesh of her buttocks and her strong legs wrapped around his waist. If possible his hard-on pressed even further against the already tight material of his pants and he grunted at the discomfort.

How was it that she could make him incredibly hard with need and she wasn't even inside his car? It was maddening and he needed to resolve this issue as soon as possible or the days, God forbid weeks, ahead would be absolute torture.

After about fifteen minutes she stopped before rows of large, modern-looking buildings beside the city's central park and he instantly recognized where they were. He waited until she disappeared inside one of the buildings before parking in an inconspicuous spot beneath the shade of a large tree. After about thirty minutes she finally emerged smiling triumphantly. He smirked. So his suspicions were correct.

But then he noticed a man he didn't recognize walking next to her and the two of them looked too close together. He didn't like it. So he unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car, fully intent on sending this newcomer away.

As he drew near them the sound of her laughter filled his ears and he felt an unexplainable burning feeling in his chest and a strong urge to punch the guy who was the source of her laughter. Her back was facing him so she didn't see him approaching, but the man she was conversing with had a clear view and his face paled when he saw him.

"Sorry to cut our conversation short but I gotta run," the man said nervously.

"Oh, well, it was nice talking to you. Thanks again for helping me out! I'll make sure to call you if I need help with anything else."

And that's when he decided he'd make his presence known.

"Sakura."

* * *

Her whole body froze at the sound of his smooth, deep voice. What the hell? Where did he come from?

She turned around and came face to face with none other than Sasuke Uchiha, the man whom she had just met yet she'd surprisingly already seen more than twice within twenty-four hours.

"Sasuke?" She stuttered. To say she was surprised was an understatement. She was shocked. Had he been following her this whole time?

The thought of Sasuke trailing her all the way to this place made her feel uneasy yet excited at the same time, but she tried to rationalize his presence. She considered him living here but quickly ruled it out. With extremely deep pockets like his he probably lived in some super fancy, upscale penthouse. Maybe he wanted to go for a walk in the park after work?

The city's central park was beautiful. There was a lake in the center with shimmering blue water surrounded by freshly trimmed green grass and large shady cherry blossom trees. A paved path winded its way around the lake and veered off in many directions. Placed incrementally along the path were wooden benches where many couples sat contentedly in each other's company. Birds and small creatures inhabited the park filling it with a chorus of chirps and squeaks. Summer was just ending so the leaves on many of the trees were already turning different shades of red, orange, and yellow. A gentle breeze swept through the park and across the lake sending small waves lapping against the small rocks that lined the lake's edge.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind she immediately discarded it. Sasuke didn't seem like the type of man who took long walks in the park alone unless he was meeting up with an important client or maybe a woman. So why was he here?

"What're you doing here?" She asked.

He was looking at her intensely with his brows furrowed and a frown on his handsome face.

"Who was that man?" He shot back and she could hear the anger and an emotion she couldn't identify in his voice.

"I don't know," she answered guiltily. The moment Sasuke surprised her the name of the man who had kindly helped her secure a new apartment lease at a great price had gone out the window.

"You don't know yet you were talking to him?" He said incredulously as if she had just done something foolish. It immediately caused her temper to rise. She despised it when people looked down on her actions as if she was incompetent.

"Well, I forgot because someone decided it would be a good idea to surprise me out of nowhere." She huffed and crossed her arms indignantly.

"Sasuke why are you even here?" She raised an eyebrow and readjusted her bag on her shoulder.

"No, wait, the better question would be: Why did you follow me?" She said just as Sasuke opened his mouth to respond.

He looked irritated. He grunted and ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, which she found incredibly sexy but wasn't about to admit, but her body betrayed her and she felt a blush creeping onto her cheeks. Luckily he didn't seem to notice.

"It's because you don't pay attention to your surroundings. I had to make sure some crazy guy didn't follow you or try to snatch you." The look on his face told her he was telling the truth.

A small part of her rejoiced that he was concerned about her safety, but another more dominant and independent part of her took offense to the fact that he thought she couldn't take care of herself.

"I can take care of myself Sasuke. I don't need you or anybody following me around like I'm some little kid." Her stomach grumbled its disagreement and she cursed inwardly. What horrible timing. Now she definitely regretted skipping breakfast this morning.

Sasuke smirked and stuffed his hands coolly into his pockets. "Actually it looks like you do need someone to take care of you." He gave her a pointed look and her blush deepened.

"Shut up. I had to skip breakfast this morning so I wouldn't be late for work." Her voice came out low and meek and she wanted to kick herself.

"Go to dinner with me." He said it so simply as if it was a command.

"And why would I go to dinner with you after you stalked me for the past hour?"

He sighed tiredly. "Look, we can stand here and talk about how I followed you or you can be grateful I sacrificed my precious time to ensure your safety and go to dinner with me. So which is it?"

"Dinner." She mumbled.

"What was that? I didn't hear you. Say it louder." He said but she could easily see the cocky smirk on his lips meaning he had heard her answer.

"I said dinner."

"That's more like it." He said approvingly then led the way to his car, a beautiful pearl white Audi R8 that shined brilliantly under the sun's rays.

He opened her door first and allowed her to get in before gently closing the door and jumping into his seat. "So, where would you like to go?"

"Doesn't matter. Surprise me," she trailed off. She was impressed with the vehicle's interior just as much as she was with its exterior.

"Nice car," she said simply and Sasuke gave her a lopsided smirk that made her heart do flip-flops.

"Hold on tight," he said huskily before the car's engine roared to life and catapulted out of its space.

The ride to the restaurant was filled with the sound of her squeals of both fear and delight as Sasuke raced against the fading sunlight.


End file.
